Composition of matter.



" UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT H. HENDEBSO N, F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOB TO THE HENDER- SONRUBBER COMPANY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION OF MARY- PatentedMar. 19,1912.

LAND.

COMPOSITION OF MATTER 1,020,497; Specification of Letters Patent.

Io Drawing.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that I, Amnn'r H. HENDER- aoN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Baltimore, Stateof Maryland, have invented new anduseful Im rovements in Composition of Matter, of which the followi is aspecification. r

y invention relates to an improved composition of matter designed tohave great strength and tenacity as well as elastic and resilientproperties, it being intended for use in any way and for any purposewhere such a substance is desirable, as for example, as a bod filler,lining or element in wheel tires, suc as those adapted for automobiles,

or ordinary vehicles, or in any of the industrial arts. A

In my application executed and filed of even date herewith and bearinSerial No. 619,405, I have set forth an claimed a method suited to theproduction of such a composition of matter as is herein described andclaimed; but it is to be distinctly understood that I do not limitmyself to any specific method for producing my improved composition, butreserve the right to claim 'it irrespective of the mode of manufacture.

In car ing out my, invention I treat rawhide in t e form of disks orslugs, or in fragmentary or granulated condition, in

such manner as to soften the rawhide, expand it considerably beyond itsnormal state, and permanently open its pores; and thereafter impregnateit with rubber whereby it 85 is made permanentl flexible or resilient.

My preferred way 0 imparting to the rawhide this softened, swollen orpractically spongy condition is by subjecting it to an a ent misciblewith either oil or water, and 40 with or without heat, subsequently ingreater part removing this agent by means of a solvent, and thereafterremoving the latter by suitable means, after which rubber, in the formof a solution, or of a heated fluid, is introduced into the spongyrawhide substance.

The reason for the preferred use of a swelling agent which is misciblewith both oil and water is as follows: Where, for example, lain water isused for swelling rawhide it as been found difficult to expel the waterand replace it with either oil or rubber solutions; whereas by using aswellin a ent miscible with either oil or water suc 65 displacement ismore readily made on ac- Applieation med April 8, 1911. Serial Ilo.019,404.

count of the mutual solubilities. When rawhide is swollen in a liquidcomposed of say one half water and one half oil, and the water isremoved by evaporation or heat. we have left one half of the swellinagent as oil which is soluble in many of t e well known rubber solventsand which, it is obvious Wlll allow an interchange of solutions ofrubber and oil. This therefore affords a practical method for theintroduction of rubber into rawhide in a swollen state and at the sametime one not too expensive. Efforts have been made to introduce rubbersolutions into materials by various methods, but on account of the thicknature of the rubber solutions they have not proved successful. Aftertreatment with the swelling a ent the softened, swollen or spongyrawhlde substance is solidified under pressure, and the incorporatedrubber vulcanized either by the admission thereto of the properproportion of sulfur in any form during the act of solidification orthereafter.

My improved composition may be cut, rolled, pressed, molded or otherwiseformed into bodies of various shapes and sizes fitted for adaptation tothe various industrial arts. For example, it may be formed into slabs orsheets desi ned for use in the manufacture of tires, w ether forautomobiles or ordinary vehicles. When used as a filler or other elementin the structure of an automobile tire the material, by reason of itsgreat tenacity and strength, is practically proof against ordinary usa eand wear, and especially against the e ects of puncture, inasmuch as therubber incorporated with the..

rawhide imparts to'the whole such elasticity and resiliency that thetire, if punctured, is self-sealing.

The composition constituting my invention may be uniformly spread insheets alternately with a woven or other fabric, the resultant bodycombining in itself great strength and pliability, and being applicableto various uses in the arts.

, It is to be understood that wherever rubreclaimed 'rubbers, in smalleror larger quantities',,may be employed.

Having thus described my invention, I "claim 1. The herein describedcomposition of matter, the same consisting of rawhide ex spongysubstance permeated with rubber, substantially as described.

3. The herein described composition of matter, the same consisting.of/rawhide expanded to the form of a permanently spongy substancefilled with vulcanized rubber, substantially as described.

4. The herein described composition of matter, the same consisting foffragments of rawhide brought to a spongy condition, permeated withrubber, and. formed into a mass,

substantially as described. Y

5. The herein described composition of matter, the same consisting offragments of rawhide brought to a spongy condition the pores of whichare filled with vulcanized rubber, substantially as described.

' In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence'of twowitnesses. 1 ALBERT H. HENDERSON.

Witnesses: v

P. W. JAMES, RAYMOND M. GLAOKEN.

